Pushing feaR

President Franklin Roosevelt said this when the country was mired in the darkest days of the Great Depression. Inspiring the nation to remain positive, persevere and help those in need, these words became an American mantra as the Depression lingered. FDR’s skill at communicating positive messages was more than good public relations; it helped Americans through a devastating crisis.

Today’s politicians and the media seem to be doing just the opposite. In the face of recent terrorist attacks in Paris, presidential candidates, members of Congress and others have not only been pushing fear but seem to be exploiting it. Politicians scream that we’re not being protected while the news cycle keeps danger in our faces 24/7. A Newsday editorial disputes this, noting, “The United States is in a much safer position than European countries when it comes to terrorism: We have oceans between us and the Islamic States. We have fewer borders to guard. We invest much more in our security and have better security apparatuses. We have better intelligence services…despite what some believe, the United States has extremely adequate vetting processes…”

Aside from the political rhetoric–and Congressional action–including trying to stop refugees from entering the U.S., a number of schools have cancelled excursions to Paris and other European cities. On Long Island, the Connetquot School District stopped trips to New York City through November and December including Radio City Music Hall and the 9/11 Museum “in the best interests of our school children,” a statement said. NYPD Commissioner William Bratton criticized the decision, saying, “What they’re doing is exactly what the terrorists want, so that is exactly what they should not be doing.”

So why are some pushing fear? It’s true that those in power gain even more authority when people are scared. The fear is real for some, partially because the media’s coverage of terror, while essential, heightens our sense of powerlessness. Students of communication understand this and are witnessing how fear can be exploited as a means to persuade.

When we huddle and hide as a result of terrorism acts, we’ve let the terrorists win. Your thoughts?

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58 thoughts on “Pushing feaR”

People should not live their life in fear after an attack. I am not saying that the fear shouldn’t exist, but that fear should not determine your actions for the future. By letting fear control you, then the terrorist and attackers are getting the reactions they want. they want people to fear them and be hesitant to do things that they believe we shouldnt be doing.

This post hits the nail right on the head. I do believe, when dealing with Terrorists, there is a time for hiding and protecting our loved ones, but there is also a time for planning a call to action, which is where we should be now. Our politicians do a lot of talking, but what they should be doing is listening. What do the people want to do at home and abroad?

It seems like this is an issue discussed constantly by politicians and the media. Some think we are playing it safe while others believe that we should be dedicating more of our efforts to offensive strategies instead. I, personally, feel that it is hard to say which is better. Though it seems frustrating to not fight back, terrorist groups pose a real danger and letting them invoke anger would put American civilians and soldiers at risk if we should choose to fight back.

Fear struck into the global community is normal to an extent but the public shouldn’t buy into the extremists’ desire of giving up our daily routine and lives. Also, with the elections coming up in 2016, the subject is a reoccurring debate. Candidates as well as other politicians seem to want to emphasize on the terror and come up with the best solutions to convince the public of their views and strategies. They’ve turn it into a war game. I agree USA is well prepared for any tragedy plan against us, the problem is that no one knows when and where. That’s why one must go about their daily lives and not let fear conquer them.

Fear is a difficult thingredients to live with but every moment in life comes with risk. If you live in a home accidents can happen that causes lives such as falling down stairs, slipping in the tub, a fire. Anything could happen and I doubt any of us would want to live in a bubble. I understand that the public school wants to avoid a problem but honestly, it is up to the parent on whether or not they want their child going on a trip to a city that is highly secured and has been since 9/11. Terrorist want us to stay away from New York City because it may be a ploy to use fear to decrease the revenue because the city thrives on having tourist spend money. If I was the principal, I would not have cancelled the trip.

We cannot be blamed for expressing fear and wanting to hide after all of these horrible things that happen every single day in this cruel world. These terrorists are inhumane and it is so hard to even think that they are, by science, human just like me and you when they act as if they are without a heart. I travel into the city at least twice a week, every week, and coming from someone with paranoia as it is, I feel fear from the time I leave my house until the time I am home. It should not be this way but unfortunately there is no controlling of it when we live in such a mad world. You never know what can happen, aside from terrorism, people are murdered every day and sometimes it does not even make the news. You never know when evil is going to strike because it happens so often that it is almost the norm. It is a sad concept to think that fear and evil are normal but this is what the world has come to.

There is definitely a lot of fear being portrayed by the media, but it is also because such horrific and sad things are happening in our world lately so it is normal to be a bit afraid or shocked. Especially with what happened to New York on 9/11 and NY being a potential target. Although events like this are happening so often, you can’t stop living your life and live in complete fear. If you work in New York City its not like you are just going to drop everything and stop making money and stop going to work. Anything can happen anywhere, but you just have to be alert and aware of your surroundings.

I agree that America is safer than other places in a lot of ways, but by no means do I consider this a safe place. The issue with these attacks is how incredibly globalized the ISIL group is. It doesn’t matter how hard we crack down on our borders or the oceans that lie between us when a number of these members already reside among us and have for a substantial amount of time. We can’t stop living our lives over threats, but I’d be lying if I said the thought of going into Times Square didn’t churn my stomach.

I completely agree that when we hide in fear, we are letting the terrorists win. The exploitation of fear in the US has caused widespread disquieting, even for myself and my close friends and family. I had a trip to Boston planned for my Thanksgiving break, but because of all of the chaos and planned attacks unveiled, my mother and I decided to stay away from the large city at such a busy holiday. On Black Friday, one of my best friends was extremely reluctant to go to the local mall in fear of an attack. But the one scenario that really stuck in my mind was when my boss said one day, “They’re already here. They are people like you and me, and can decide one day to go out and hurt people. You need to be cautious.” In my mind, she’s right. There must be American allies of ISIS already here, and that is what really is scaring the American people, along with the entering Syrian refugees. My future trips to Washington D.C. and Europe have become even more unappealing each day due to the constant political rhetoric on these issues. But if the American people continuously live in fear, then they will miss out on opportunities and allow the terrorists to gain an advantage. Therefore, on one hand, we are the fearless America, home of the brave; but right now, with a lack of action and information from our governmental superiors, we are more like timid lambs just waiting for the next attack.

I think that when it comes to the topic of terrorism and politics there is not a simple answer. Unfortunutly, as we see in politics, people will use fear to garner votes and sway oppinions. It’s awful that violence can be something that people use to win elections and that we sometimes choose to overlook.

What an interesting way of looking at how America is dealing with the crises happening around the world. Fear is a feeling difficult to shake off. And safety is something we value for the people in our country, and around the world. But how do we deal with safety and fear together? Its hard to say when terrorism is such a prevalent force today. Do we let terrorism win by showing our fear?

I don’t think this has a straight answer. A lot of people believe it is better to be safe than sorry, but then again we can not live in fear. Canceling these school trips i think was an extreme. I think it is ok to notify the public of what is happening but by staying inside and canceling normal activities does only give more power to the terrorists. Americans should be aware of what is happening but shouldn’t be changing how they live. Sometimes I believe the best reaction is no reaction at all. Everyones immediate and drastic reactions seems to be a little ignorant.

The threats of an ISIS attacks are terrifying. Watching the propaganda videos that are produced, as well as listening to the news reports would scare anyone. However, this fear should in no way stop people from living their lives, going to work or going to the city in general. That is what the terrorists want, to ruin our lives and paralyze us with fear.

For example, my family had a vacation planned that required plane travel for the November of 2001. After the attacks on September 11th, many people advised my mother and father not to get on the plane out of fear. My parent’s answer was that if we were to go out of our way to stop our lives and our plans, then terrorism prevails. I completely agree with them.

With everything occurring around the world and in the headlines today is it difficult to not have a human reaction of fear. ISIS has targeted us to live in fear because it is the only weapon or tool that have to use against us.

With that being said I don’t believe out government officials are helping fight that tactic by giving in to a majority of their targeted acts by responding out of fear. I understand officials position of trying to keep everyone safe but by causing alarm, panic and fear is not helping the cause. Over the Thanksgiving holiday break the United States has issued a homeland security not advising Americans to travel. I understand we all need to exercise caution this holiday season but this advisory hardly makes me feel safe in fact the only thing it makes me feel is fear.

I agree. ISIS wants us to live in fear. However, is it really best to do so? If we live in fear, our quality of life is being compromised. You can be in the wrong place at the wrong time in any situation. You never know what will happen. I think you can be cautious without living in fear. I don’t think it’s a bad idea for schools to cancel trips for liability reasons and to ease parent minds, but I think we need to go about our days as we would any other.

While its reasonably frightening to think that there’s always a chance you could simply be in the wrong place at the wrong time, it should not determine how you go about living your life or hold you back from doing the things you want to do. The fear mongering that is so prevalent now is causing many people to alter their daily lives out of anxiety about what could happen, and I do not want to let this keep me from doing the things that I enjoy. My sister is an MTA Police Officer stationed in Grand Central Terminal, so I definitely understand the feeling of uneasiness about situations potentially happening in NYC, but we cannot let this dread decide our lives. I think we must rather understand the importance in remaining observant while going about our everyday lives. I would much rather go about my business and keep in mind the precautionary measures that can be taken in order to protect ourselves in different situations.

I completely agree with Bratton’s statement that this is serving into what the terrorists want. The fact that they have generated this sense of panic and anxiety shows to them that their actions are working in their sick minds. It gives them a feeling of control over us, and we cannot give them this satisfaction.

I also really agree with all of the sentiments Chloe Dale expressed in her comment. If you constantly think about all the bad things that could happen to you, you would be too paralyzed with fear to ever leave your house.

I really agree with this post, I think that ISIS and other terrorists want us to live in fear – whether we’re going to a concert or traveling into the city. But in my opinion, living in constant fear isn’t living, and it’s letting the terrorist win. It’s really annoying to see politicians take advantage of this situation for their own gains, I think for some they forget how impressionable the public can be, and don’t think before they speak, and once the media gets their hands on it, it’s spun out of control.

My mom is a kindergarten teacher for the NYC Board of Education. Kindergarten classes at her school planned a trip to visit the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. However, my mom and other teachers decided to cancel the trip, due to fear of terror. When my mom initially told me this, we disagreed. I explained how the kids would have absolutely loved a trip to see the tree and they would probably never forget it. She said it was better to be safe.
I think that terror is becoming an issue that is affecting our lives more and more. After the Paris attacks, i definitely became more afraid. It has not stopped me from going to the city, however. I attended a concert at the Barclays center a week after the attacks. I can’t imagine the probability that my family or I would be subject to a terror attack but media coverage makes us all feel more at risk lately. I am scared of terrorism, but I don’t think i can let it limit my life. Manhattan is one of the best cities on Earth and we can’t let terror take its enjoyment away from us.

I think the schools canceling trips to New York City was a smart move because if something did happen, the schools would be liable for all of the students. Also, the parents of the students going on the trip were probably not too comfortable with the idea of their kids going to a major city when terrorist attacks were happening in another place. If something did happen on that trip, people would say that the trip should have been cancelled in the first place. That was a good idea because there were students involved, but in general, people should not live in fear because that is what the terrorists want. Anything could happen at any given time, so we should not live our lives according to what we think could possibly happen. No, I am not exactly excited to take a train on Wednesday, the biggest travel day of the year, but I am not going to sit there in fear the whole time.

Safety is a relative term and an idea that can change at a moments notice.

Having studied abroad and have a bit of the wanderlust bug, I am always eager to travel, explore, and learn. With that being said though, there are any number of terrible things that can happen to me and many of those things can happen with or without the threat of a terrorist attack. With all of these possibly dangerous death traps all around me, why do I even choose to venture outside of my safety bubble? Well, the world is an amazing place.

The world is beautiful, interesting, thought-provoking, tear-wrenching, exciting, delicious (have you had gelato?), and meaningful. Selfishly, why would I ever sacrifice all of the opportunities out there just to live within the confines of my safety bubble? Unselfishly, there are so many people in this world that are not able to take advantage of the opportunities that have been seemingly dropped at my doorstep. I want to help those people and not just help them, but learn from them and watch as their own lives become more joyous and more peaceful.

So, to simply answer the question asked, yes. The terrorists win if we refuse to stop living and stop traveling. The terrorists win because we are cowering in fear and are too scared to speak out to stop them. The terrorists win because we let them take over our lives through fear.

The tragedies of 9/11, Paris, Baghdad, and Isreal, along with the countless others around the world have done nothing more than drive me to find ways to help people in need and find ways to continue living my life within the new rules of our changing society.

I have all the faith in the world in our country’s ability to defeat ISIS. But, I am incredibly fearful of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and until we find a way to come together with Europe to take out ISIS for good, I will refrain from going to New York City, and I don’t blame these schools’ inclinations not to go either. Last night on 60 minutes I heard a statistic that said you have a greater chance of being struck by lightening than being involved in one of these attacks, but going to NYC right now seems kind of like walking outside during a thunderstorm. I can’t help but avoid it, and I don’t see any harm in erring on the side of caution until we receive more information on the status of ISIS at this time.

I couldn’t agree more. The more the media pushes fear, the more the people look to find someone who makes them feel safe. Especially with it being election time, people are really using fear as the advantage. It is a horrible and cruel technique on their part, but sadly it works. We only know what the media tells us, and if it says we are at risk, people are going to believe it.

However, we are letting the terrorists win. We are turning away from our true values as a country and letting fear get the best of us. If we showed no fear, it would show a different side of America. A side that doesn’t back down to terrorism. It should be something like that that we focus our media and time on. Not on how terrifying it is to live in the United States.

I believe many politicians have resorted to “pushing fear” as a way to gain control over people. People are vulnerable when they are scared and easier to convince. As far as the situation with Syrian refugees and cancelling class trips for NY kids as a result of the Paris attacks, I believe caution is always warranted, but we should not let fear of eminent danger stop us from living our lives, or being kind to other people in need.

Living your life by fear is never good. It holds you back from doing what you really want. When it comes to the terrorist, I think it is okay that people are taking precautions. Now I don’t think people should be canceling field trips to certain cities because that is really stopping the students from experiencing culture but I do think we need to have a heightened sense of awareness because unfortunately you just don’t know what is going to happen around you.

I am curious to see how terrorists would react if instead of hiding in fear the people of the world stood up for themselves and fought back. I think terrorists expect fear out of people and wouldn’t know what to do if they fought back. The fact that trips are being cancelled only hurts the education of the students, and lets the terrorists know that they’re winning.

I agree that hiding from the terrorists is letting them win. Succumbing to the fear as a nation is allowing them to accomplish their ultimate goal. But, how can we ignore our basic survival instincts. Personally, I am terrified.

I believe that politician are pushing fear as a political tool. As Americans we have a sense of fear because 9/11 blindsided us all. Today America is very prepared for attacks and I trust my President in place now to protect me! Terrorist will not have an easy battle if they choose to go our route…but my faith is strong that I’m protected. Fear is a horrible tool to use as persuasion and I think the politicians who.choose to use it are cowards.

As an incredibly proud American who would defend the flag no matter what, I think that we live in a society where people are too soft. If you want a problem to go away, you shouldn’t sweep it under the rug like a lot of people do regarding terrorism. If I had a nickel for every time I heard something like “we need to understand that it’s a different culture” or “violence doesn’t solve violence,” I cringe. If we keep letting ourselves be exposed to international threats like ISIS, then we will be living in a country overrun by Sharia Law. Generally, Sharia Law has low approval ratings (meant to be obvious). And here’s another thing, Japan was an international enemy and wouldn’t quit until we used the atomic bomb. Ever since, that lovely country in the Pacific has been a wonderful ally giving us Nintendo and psychotic game shows. Not saying we should nuke Syria, but maybe it’s time to turn them into an ally (sometimes violence is the answer).

I agree hiding and living in fear gives the terrorists satisfaction. Yes, being a target and hearing the threats is a scary thing but we cannot live in fear. People have to carry on with their daily routines and show that we are a strong nation that trusts in our armed forces. I do agree with the schools that cancelled the trips to the city, we still have to take precaution and avoid anything that can put us in a dangerous situation.

America, and the rest of the world, is in a tricky position when it comes to protection from terrorist attacks. It is true that by hiding, we are acting just as the terrorists had planned, but in light of recent events, it makes sense to take extra precautions. Although, if I had to chose a side, I would say that we should not be living in fear. School districts should not be postponing field trips, but should leave it up to individuals and their parents as to whether or not they will attend. And this is not just because we don’t want terrorist groups to think that they have “won” but because if we focus on on all these tragic, horrific events and let them consume us, we won’t be able to live fulfilling lives.

In my opinion, politicians are pushing fear in hopes of people voting for them. If they can instill fear in people and go on to promise tougher security, like Trump’s ridiculous idea to have Muslims register in a database, then people will panic. In response, they’ll vote for someone who believes they can provide strong protection.

I agree with Professor Morosoff when he says that political figures and the media are pushing fear. Yes, I think there absolutely is a reason for Americans (or anyone in the western world) to fear for themselves, but no I don’t think the media should be preying on that. It’s one thing to be informed and cautious about everything that’s going on, but I haven’t heard or read anything that goes into how prepared NYC is for these attacks.
I think we should be informed, but also reassured that we are well equipped in the terrifying chance that something might happen to us.
Some politicians are using these tragic events as a platform to push their political campaign, and in those cases, fear is distributed in an awful way.

In light of the recent events and news coverage, it is definitely difficult to not be worried or upset. However, we have to continue living our lives. Right now I have a trip planned to Paris this summer and I do not want to change those plans. If we live in fear then we aren’t really living. We cannot let fear stop us from being the great nation that we are. FDR said it all, we are vulnerable when fear overcomes us. We need to be strong and stand together.

I also feel that we are being torn apart because of how people feel about terrorism, especially the Syrian refugees. Instead of fighting, we need to come together as a nation once again.

I think part of the paranoia can be tied to the facts that both the busiest day for traveling and the busiest day for shopping in the United States are this week, with a truly American holiday separating them. Sure people should go about their business as they would normally in order to prove that the terrorists haven’t won, but that is much easier said than done. Furthermore, although some presidential candidates are harping much more on the threats that are supposedly trying to get into the country, ISIS/ ISIL/ Daesh have already issued a number of photographs proving that they have operatives scattered across the United States.
The exploitation of fear is despicable and can be dangerous, but ignoring a threat can also be just as dangerous. America may have more safeguards than members of the European Union, which allows for practically unrestricted travel between its members, but the United States is also a much more sought after target.

The media tries to control society by instilling fear, and the terrorists also want us to be fearful of living our daily lives so that we are cautious of everything we do due to their threats and attacks. However, regardless of these fears, threats, and attacks, I think it is better to be safe than sorry before it is too late. We cannot be naive or allow ourselves to be vulnerable when our lives are in danger. Its terribly unfortunate and sad our lives are becoming controlled this way. It is not going to end until we achieve victory in this war of terrorism and defeat Al Qaeda, Isis, and whomever else tries to destroy our integrity and freedom. I hope and pray we continue to enforce massive security to prevent these attacks from continuing to happen at random times when we least expect it. The way I see it, giving these terrorists the ultimate power over us would be letting them destroy many innocent lives. Our main objective should be to prevent that, and their opinion of whose winning should be secondary.

It is only human nature to be afraid of the unknown and to suffer from things such as terrorism. But living in fear is no way to live life. I believe that it is extremely important to understand that bad things happen, and we can’t allow that to effect the way we live it. I would rather live a life of adventure then hide due to the idea that something bad may effect me.

When we are scared, the terrorists win.
When the media relays messages from terrorists, the terrorists win.

That is why we have to go on with our lives and live. When we do that, they lose. They lose because we won’t have to live in fear but we will live with caution.

In times like this where many of our leaders have such conflicting views on how to handle this mess, American citizens are more than vulnerable. Many individuals can’t live their lives with such anxiety that it skews them from reality.

I feel that the media’s coverage of tragedies such as the terrorist attacks in Paris definitely does instill fear within people as these people let that fear hinder their everyday routines. Although, I do feel that it is important for people not to put their life on hold because of this fear, I think that it is important for the media to make us aware of these types of events as these are potential threats that we may encounter at some point and something we should be aware of.

I absolutely agree that Franklin said ” The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. Paris were engaged in a fear but people are still enjoy their life and don’t be feared by the attack. It is an attitude. And also, last weekend I went to NYC, a salesman said to me, NYC will be threatened every two or three months after 911 event and they have become accustomed. From people’s attitude, we can learn from that if they don’t think it is a fear, the fear will not exist. People scare fear itself rather than the event itself.

However, the politicians and media still take some measures to decrease harm because government serves to citizens. When it is possible to threat to citizens, the politicians must solve the problems. Or it will had a bad impression. The media is only one channel let citizens know what happened. Thus, they also should give their confidence.

This has truly been an awful time in the world and honestly I think you are right. I think that the media’s coverage of terrorism definitely instills a deep sense of fear in people. I myself have fallen victim to this issue. I went home this weekend. My plan was to meet my friend in NYC for dinner first then take the Metro North train home to CT. However, when I saw the media coverage of ISIS threats for Time Square in my Facebook newsfeed, I instinctively called my parents to ask them if it was safe to go to NYC.

I’ve particularly been struggling with how Israel has been depicted in the media recently. It makes me sick to my stomach that for several days I could not log onto my social media accounts, especially Facebook, without hearing about another stabbing. This past week in particular was a horrible time to be on social media. An 18 year old from MA who was in my Jewish youth group was murdered in an area close to the West Bank. Why doesn’t the media cover more about the amazing research being conducted in institutions such as Tel Aviv University? I just feel like sometimes Israel is portrayed by the media as an area of deadly conflict, when in reality, Israel has so much to offer. So does Paris. Paris is much more than an area of terrorist attacks. Paris is a beautiful city and rich in culture.

I agree that we cannot live our lives in fear. Israelis certainly do not panic. They continue to march forward, despite the terror that seems to reign supreme in their lives.

I think that it is very important to not let fear overpower us individually and as a nation. I know that in my everyday life, I try to put my fears aside, because fear can be a powerful thing and hinder people from doing certain things. However, I do feel that the country is taking the right precautions and it is never a bad thing to be “too careful”.

I believe that giving into the fear only gives more power to those who are trying to inflict fear. I am a firm believer in what’s meant to be is meant to happen, so yes, I may be a bit more cautious of my surroundings, I will not refuse to live my life in the hopes of avoiding a certain POSSIBLE situation. For all we know, by avoiding it, you put yourself into a different sort of danger. I believe that the media constantly giving the information on a loop is only giving these terrorists what they are looking for. Though I do believe it is the duty of our country to share any possible threat, I do not think it needs to be broadcasted on repeat on multiple different platforms, only giving these horrible people more power over our daily lives.

I think that it is bad to be driven by fear. Fear doesn’t allow people to think clearly and people become irrational because they lose the sense of what is right versus what’s wrong. The fear consumes them. I agree with the NYPD Commissioner, that not living life is exactly what the terrorists want. They want people to be paralyzed by fear. I believe that our nation needs to be informed better; to receive information but not further drive the fear. If, as a nation, we can come together and understand what is going on, we can live our lives to the potential it had before the threats.

Unfortunately, we live in a world wherein terror is a real possibility. There are people who want nothing more than to see people’s sense of safety shattered and it is necessary to be aware of that fact. However, as MLK famously said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.” If we cannot bind together during these times, we cannot have any hope for the future.

I personally think pushing fear onto the people is a good thing. Though no one likes to live in fear, the United States is one of the top hated countries by these terrorists. Even if it is true that the United States has the best form of security, there is always a chance. I personally do not want to risk anything based off of chance. I agree with the school systems for cancelling the trips because I too am afraid to go to the city. It may be true that this is what the terrorists want, but in my opinion they can win that battle, I would not want to risk my life. I do think the media can be doing more to make us feel safer and give facts on how we are being protected while also continuing to update us on the situation. Either way what the media is covering is scary for everyone and there is nothing anyone can really do to keep us from feeling afraid and powerless. No one knows what the terrorists next move is so that is going to keep everyone constantly on their toes.

I think it is very ridiculous that people say that the terrorists are winning when we are taking precautions. I think these threats are very serious and these terrorists want to hurt us. It is not worth hundreds of lives. We should be worried and take proper precautions. In times like these, you need to be smart because in the end, it is a terrorist’s goal to hurt as many people as possible. If we take precautions, less people will be affected. It is very stupid to act like nothing will happen.

Although I agree with the fact that if we hide in our home the terrorist win. However, at this point I feel I would rather take cover in my home then die. Those that represent ISIS seem as though they aren’t messing around and I will not be one to get in their way. We should fight for what we believe in and not let them control every move we make, but as Americans we should take caution at this time.

I think it is understandable for people to be a bit weary about traveling considering the recent events occurring around the world. However, I do not think people should let that fear stop them from living. I think people should continue traveling and going about normal life because we can never really know for sure where the next attack will be or if there will even be an attack. The terrorists want us to live in fear and as soon as we give into that, we let them win and right now it seems like we are letting them win.

I completely agree that hiding is exactly what the terrorists want from the nations they target. Although it’s easy to be fearful, nothing good can come from it. Growing up, my Dad would always tell me not to live my life in fear and although it he wasn’t talking about terrorists but rather me holding myself back, I think it still applies. Living in fear of things that could potentially happen is exactly want the terrorists want and we should never give them that satisfaction of feeling like they’ve succeeded.

I absolutely concur with the correlation between power and fear. The more fearful an audience or single person appears to be, the more powerful the leader will feel. However, I have to admit that protection is necessary to avoid crisis and terrorist attacks. Adding metal detectors in public and private schools alongside other public facilities such as restaurants, theaters, and shopping malls, is a protective tactic that should be implemented. In my opinion, this tactic does not scream out “We are scared”. I believe that protective measures are necessary in an effort to at least decrease fatal attacks on the public. I furthermore believe that their should be an increase in law enforcement security alongside security cameras. I believe that this enhancement will heighten detection across the board as to who is a possible terrorist. However, I do not believe that our enhanced security measures should be announced on national television. This gives the enemy in insight of our plan to decrease attack. I sadly furthermore believe that terrorist attacks will be ongoing because of the enemy’s desire to gain complete totalitarianism over our country. We must uphold our nation and protect the U.S citizens. Responding first with more security measures is the first step in initiating this process.

I completely agree that by cancelling field trips and vacations is exactly what the terrorists want. They want people to be scared and not go about their daily lives. I think that the Newsday editorial is absolutely correct that the United States is safer than some European countries because of our strong security and intelligence services. I think it’s alright to be cautious, but we can’t let fear stop us from leading our lives.

It’s really odd to see the media and politicians using fear as a weapon to gain support or to influence change. Unfortunately this has become a standard of living, this is not something new this is something I grew up with; and it’s a shame that I can say that. I remember learning about the history of this nation, a nation that in the face of adversity and challenge never flinched and never gave into fear because we as a nation were stronger than that. Hopefully history will repeat itself in that sense.

A very much agree that we are giving in to what they want but under different circumstances. They wants us to be in fear and we are not only giving them that satisfaction but we are also showing them that they do in fact have power over us. We say we are a strong country that could fight off anything but here we are canceling trips and hiding away, giving them not only the satisfaction of fear but also the power to control us. I am in no way a political person- as bad as it is I avoid politics- but we cannot live in fear forever. We also cannot stay in the dark to fight the dark. We must come into the light to end the darkness.

In regards schools canceling trips to the city and William Bratton’s statement, “What they’re doing is exactly what the terrorists want, so that is exactly what they should not be doing”, I do agree that this is what the terrorist want. However, I disagree with the fact that we shouldn’t be doing it. Because we have been hit before in New York, I do not blame schools from temporarily stopping trips to places such as Radio City Music Hall and the 9/11 Museum. If there was some type of attack that did end up happening we would always regret it.
This does not mean I think it’s right that the politicians and the media are exploiting fear. As we all know, fear makes people act on and respond to things in extremely unreasonable ways, and that shouldn’t be encouraged. Instead, the government along the presidential candidates should be assuring the nation that they will do their best to continue to keep us protected and finding ways to help us feel safer.

It’s kind of crazy to me how people let fear control them. What happened in Paris is absolutely devastating, but at the same time, we can’t let that fear of terrorists attacking us affect our everyday lives. Sometimes, it is important to carry on. If we all live in fear, we’ll trap ourselves in our houses and never leave.

It’s a shame how the way we communicate about emergencies now compared to the last century. FDR really had the power to help calm many Americans down during the Great Depression, but it doesn’t seem as though any of the politicians are able to have quite the same ability. I think we as a nation have become extremely paranoid, and politicians such as Donald Trump don’t seem to be helping the situation when they make assumptions that all Syrian refugees are terrorists.

The news has been terrifying recently. It’s enough to make you never want to leave your house again to be completely honest, but when you look at the bigger picture, the NYPD Commissioner is completely right. The terrorists want us to live in fear of their next move. Not only should we not give in to the way they want us to live, but we should also remember that their strategy is unpredictable. Sure, we can speculate that they are targeting the Westfields Shopping Centre in London or the Met Museum in NYC next, but we will never know for sure. So I think, we should go about our lives as normal. If we have the opportunity to travel, we should go for it.

There are other ways we have to stand strong against terrorists as well. ISIS shouldn’t drive us to hate or be fearful of all those who associate with the islamic faith. When the media focuses on the attacks in Paris, it shouldn’t make us resent people for caring too much about France. Terrorist will do all they can to cause havoc- this we already know, but they can only do so much and then there comes a point when they rely on us to create further tensions. They want to divide us anyway they can.

“I’m never going to Paris. I know my Dad wouldn’t let me now anyway.” My friend said this yesterday, as we chatted over a bagel. Luckily, we talked her out of that mindset because anything can happen and it can happen anywhere. Someone could have opened fire in Bagelicious or in the movie theater we went to. So there’s no need to wipe Paris off your travel list.

I hope we all find the courage to live life fearlessly and to stand together so that the terrorists don’t gain the power they’re so desperate for.

I think it is ridiculous that people stop living the life they want to live because of fear of terrorist attacks. The sad truth is that anyone can die anywhere at any time. If you want to go to New York City you shouldn’t stop yourself just because something might happen. Your life is at risk every day so why should this be any different. Just this past week, one of my friends refused to go to the city because of the threat. I don’t think anyone should stop doing what they want to do just because of terrorists. If you live your life in fear, you let the terrorists win. This is exactly what they want, so why would you ever let them win.

I think its the general ignorance. The layperson really don’t know exactly how safe America is compared to other countries.
Also, this idea of espousing fear and the general public buying into, is the public’s fascination with negative news and doom and gloom in general.

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ABOUT ME

I'm an associate professor at Hofstra University and director of Hofstra's graduate program in public relations. For 27 years I held corporate, nonprofit, government, agency, and academic PR positions before doing what I love most: teaching. I'm a past president of the trade group Public Relations Professionals of Long Island and serve on the advisory board of the Museum of Public Relations. I'm also an active member of several professional organizations, and serve as faculty adviser to Hofstra's Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter. I was honored to receive the 2016 Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award from Hofstra's Lawrence Herbert School of Communication.

While I'm immensely happy to play a role my students' achievements, I'm most proud of my four adult children, their significant others, and my two adorable grandsons. A native of Massapequa Park, N.Y., my wonderful wife Tema and I live in Great Neck, N.Y. with our high-maintenance beagle, Toby.